


Thanksgiving

by Everyday_Im_Preaching



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Holidays, M/M, Nightvale, Thanksgiving, wtnv - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-20
Updated: 2014-05-20
Packaged: 2018-01-25 20:05:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1660781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Everyday_Im_Preaching/pseuds/Everyday_Im_Preaching
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cecil has Thanksgiving dinner with his family...and Steve Carlsburg is there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thanksgiving

At first, Carlos had expected something more. A little more pomp, a little more circumstance. A few more eyes and limbs. But Cecil's adoptive family was actually normal-as far as normal went in Nightvale. His mother had straight brown hair that brushed her shoulders, and crisp blue eyes that assessed and accepted him. Cecil's sister, with black hair and the same blue eyes smiled at him, and Janis sat up from the couch with a squeak of glee, her Cthulhu doll rolling off the couch and on to the floor. Small arms wrapped Cecil in a hug and he picked her up, spinning in a circle with the little black haired girl.

  
Then he noticed Steve Carlsburg.

  
Carlos normally wouldn't think about Steve being present in the same room as himself. But that was when Cecil was safely in his studio, away from the lab. Steve honestly wasn't as awful as his boyfriend claimed he was. Steve was actually just a busy guy, but like the rest of Nightvale, he never missed Cecil's show. It just wasn't something that was done. So the hate was bordering on mutual, at least in Carlos's opinion.

  
“Cecil, it's wonderful to see you!” Cecil's sister, Gretchen, greeted. “And you as well Carlos! How are you liking Nightvale?” Her voice was soft, like whispers in the night and it gave Carlos the chills.

  
“Fair enough, senora.” he answered, watching Steve out of the corner of his eye. He was approaching behind Cecil, and the radio show host had yet to see him. Whether it was because he was so used to ignoring his presence, or he legitimately didn't know he was there, Carlos really didn't fancy the idea of the two fighting so he covertly shook his head at Steve and mouthed 'don't do it' quietly, while Cecil was distracted by his niece. Steve didn't seem to be paying attention, so he kissed Cecil's cheek and made an excuse of going to greet his mother. She seemed to notice the same thing that Carlos did and glared at Steve, shaking her head. Steve rolled his eyes at her, and slung an arm around Cecil's shoulders.

  
“Hello brother-in-law!” He barely got the words out of his mouth when he was flung forward over Cecil's shoulder by the radio show host himself. He landed with a thump on the wooden floor. Red tinted Cecil's cheeks, and his teeth were grit as he stared at Steve Carlsburg, the picture of an avenging angel. If angels existed, that is.

  
“No Steve Carlsburg...” he hissed, before turning on his heel to walk over to Carlos. He looped an arm in his boyfriend's, refusing to look at his sister's husband unless it was necessary. Carlos sighed.

  
“Cecil, you don't have to be that mean to him. Think about Janis.” His mother scolded. Cecil let out a rough growl before coughing.

  
“Janis doesn't need to be nice to him.” Cecil told her. Steve stood with a groan behind him, rubbing his back. Cecil ignored him, and exchanged pleasantries with the rest of the family gathered, that included his mother, his sister, Carlos (naturally), Janis, and a few other obscure relatives that had gathered together for the purpose of eating a roasted bird. They eventually got seated, and Steve chose the seat directly opposite Cecil. Carlos sat on the right of his boyfriend, and was frowning in a worried manner. Steve seemed to be bent on becoming friends with Cecil, despite the radio show hosts disgust with his entire existence. Cecil turned to Carlos and pressed a kiss to Carlos's forehead. “Sorry, I forgot that he was going to be here.” It sounded as if he intended to forget that he was there.

“It's okay.” Carlos reassured him, entwining their hands together. “As long as your here, it doesn't matter if we were eating with Lauren and Daniel.” Cecil frowned, and bumped their foreheads together.

“Let's not disturb the dead, alright?” Cecil half-joked. “They tend to rise around here.” There was the clearing of a throat, and they turned their head to Cecil's mother at the head of the table.

“It's wonderful having you here for what is a fantastic holiday celebrating the day that our ancestors first slew the gigantic turkey that roosted on this very town.” She told them, hands folded in front of her. Carlos took this moment to look at her outfit that consisted of a long purple robe with fine, gold leaf patterns embroidered along it. He looked around at everyone else, but they seemed focused on Cecil's mom. The windows were tinted to an almost illegal shade of grey, letting hardly any light in to the room. The lights weren't electric, but were candelabra hanging on the walls and a glass chandelier that was composed of beautiful twisting gems that threw a pied variation of light around the room like stained glass windows. It was a wonder that captivated him for a moment, before he looked at the tinted windows and thought about the purpose. He highly doubted they prevented anybody from looking into the room, as the Sheriff's Secret Police weren't very secret about their actions, despite their name.

“I would like to do the honor of cutting the turkey-” Cecil snatched the knife from the table, sticking it behind his back. Steve's face screwed up in irritation. “Mom! Cecil took the knife, and it's my turn to cut the turkey!”

“Cecil..” his mom warned. Cecil sighed in defeat and Carlos pet his arm reassuringly.

“Fine..he can have it.” Cecil told him, sounding defeated, before standing up. The chair squeaked across the wood and tipped over with a crash to the floor. “...ONCE YOU PRY IT FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS, STEVE CARLSBURG.” He shouted, and jumped over the toppled chair, escaping into the other part of the house. Steve jumped up and moved quickly around the table to follow him, angry. Cecil's mother pinched the bridge of his nose, and Gretchen seemed frozen in place. Janis hollered loudly:

“GO STEVE CARLSBURG!!” which resulted in Cecil shouting back at her to stop supporting her waste-of-space stepdad. Cecil's mom looked furious at their actions, slamming her hands on her table.

“Cecil Palmer! You are thirty-eight, and you have no reason to be acting like a child!” She growled out. “Just let him cut the turkey!”

“He can't even please my sister in bed, let alone cut a turkey!” Cecil roared in response. Steve narrowed his eyes.

“At least I don't groan about my somewhat of a scientist boyfriend on the radio!” Steve defended. “Nothing against you, of course, Carlos.” Steve tacked on for Carlos's benefit. Carlos rose his hands as if to say 'no harm done', but Cecil gripped the knife tightly and turned to face Steve.

“What did you just say about Carlos? He is very much a scientist!” Cecil growled, and Steve paled, noticing the tight grip around the knife handle.

“C-Cecil, put the knife down.” Steve told him, looking in between Cecil's face and the knife.

“Oh, yes. I have the perfect place for it.” Cecil answered, almost calmly. Carlos sighed, and turned away from the two.

“This is fantastic stuffing.” he complimented.

“Oh thank you dear. Here, I have an extra carving knife. This has become almost a tradition-the argument, you see.” Cecil's mom told Carlos, leaning over to hand him the sharp object. He sliced it perfectly, listening to his boyfriend scream in the background about bloodstone circles and the poor state of Steve's car, and he grinned. Nightvale was becoming home rather quickly, to him. Carlos inwardly nodded. He wouldn't trade the chaos for the mundane, ordinary life he once had. And he sure as hell wouldn't trade Cecil for the world.


End file.
